This is the decade I started playing games and grew up in. Sadly, my parents couldn’t afford to buy games. Most games were rentals and very few were owned. I also only owned a Genesis, SNES, N64 and PS1 during this time. I didn’t get the systems until late in their cycle. I also had no access to gaming information as my parents couldn’t afford magazine subscriptions so it was all word of mouth at school or what I saw at Blockbuster. We didn’t get internet access or our first PC until 1998. This list is also of what I just remember or have played much later that was released at the time.
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse – 1990
Genesis – SNES – Master System – Sega Game Gear – Sega Saturn – iOS – Android
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: SNES
While this wasn’t the first game I ever played I did have fond memories of it. I remember this being one of the darkest forms of Mickey Mouse and it kind of creeped me out. It was a hard platformer, but the art style was amazing and was just so memorable.
Dr. Mario – 1990
NES – GameBoy – GameCube – Wii – GameBoy Advance – SNES – 3DS – Wii U
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: Wii/3DS/Wii U
I played this on the SNES and had a blast with it. I didn’t quite understand it as a young child, but as I got older it was addictive and even my mother got into it. It was different from Tetris and Bust-a-Move.
Sonic the Hedgehog – 1991
Genesis – GameBoy Advance – PC – 3DS – iOS – Android – Switch
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: 3DS/iOS/Android
The funny thing is, I played this after Sonic 2. I didn’t quite care for Sonic 1 as much since you didn’t get the spin move, and the game was just more difficult and less memorable, but it was still a fun ride.
Road Rash – 1991
Genesis – Amiga – Master System – Game Gear – GameBoy – 3DO – Sega CD – PlayStation – Sega Saturn – PC
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: 3DO/Saturn
I remember my dad and I played the hell out of this game. Smacking riders with weapons was tons of fun and we couldn’t get enough. I beat the game multiple times, but I can’t remember if I ever owned it.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 – 1992
Genesis – iOS – Android – 3DS – Switch – Wii – Xbox 360 – Xbox One
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: iOS/Android
One of the first video game I ever played. This came with my Genesis that I got for Xmas of ’93 and I fondly remember the system was faulty and my mom returned it to Circuit City the next day. It’s still my favorite Sonic game to this date. I’ve beaten so many times on different systems and emulators. I know all the music and levels by heart. While I have spent less time in the last couple of levels just due to sheer difficulty, this game will always have a special place in my heart.
Super Mario Kart – 1992
SNES – Wii – Switch – Wii U – 3DS
Remastered: No | Best Played On: Wii/Switch/3DS/Wii U
This was something I played years after release, but it was my first Mario Kart experience. I played it at a friend’s house a lot and remember being super competitive with it. I’ve played it a bit as an adult, while not my favorite in the series, it was a great memory.
Mortal Kombat – 1993
Genesis – SNES – Game Gear – GameBoy – Sega CD – Amiga – PC
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: Genesis/Sega CD
Here we are, the entire reason I’m a gamer. This was the first video game I ever laid eyes on as a toddler. I watched my older cousin do the Fatalities in the game and was blown away. I played this game more on SNES, sadly, than Genesis, but I just love the music, the sound effects, and the overall game has made Mortal Kombat my favorite gaming franchise of all time.
Disney’s Aladdin – 1993
Genesis – PC – GameBoy – GameBoy Color – Switch – PS4 – Xbox One
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: Switch/PS4/Xbox One
I remember this game being incredibly difficult. I played it so much though and my sister and I would try to take turns and take breaks to beat the game and it never happened. The game was fantastic and remains one of the best platformers on the system.
Sonic CD – 1993
Sega CD – PC – Xbox 360 – PlayStation 3 – iOS – Android
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: iOS/Sega CD
I played this as a teenager and didn’t understand the hype. It was cool, felt like Sonic, had a couple of neat camera tricks, but overall it didn’t blow me away. It was the definitive Sonic game for the time, but not nearly as memorable as Sonic 2.
Clay Fighter – 1993
SNES – Genesis – Wii
Remastered: No | Best Played On: Wii
I remember this game being so funny and my entire family got a kick out of the characters. While it was a bit sluggish and clunky, it had a lot of heart and soul and that’s what made this game stand out for me.
Zombies Ate My Neighbors – 1993
Genesis – SNES – Wii
Remastered: No | Best Played On: Wii
This was probably one of the most difficult game I had ever played growing up. I couldn’t get past more than 20 levels by myself and I remember getting so frustrated I’d scream at the TV. I actually played this thanks to the Sega Channel along with Earthworm Jim, Toe Jam & Earl, Aladdin, and many other games.
Doom – 1993
PC – Sega 32x – Atari Jaguar – SNES – PlayStation – 3DO – Sega Saturn – GameBoy Advance – Xbox 360 – iOS – Android – PlayStation 4 – Xbox One – Switch
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: PlayStation 4/Xbox One/Switch/PC
Doom remains of my favorite shooters of all time, but I didn’t grow to care for it until much later in life. I dabbled in the game on PC and various other consoles but my true love came as an early adult. The art style, speed, enemies, and everything is just so perfect and iconic. There’s nothing out there like it.
Mortal Kombat II – 1994
Genesis – SNES – Game Gear – GameBoy – Sega Saturn – Sega 32x – PC – PlayStation – PlayStation 3
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: Saturn/SNES
MKII was something I was super excited about, but had a harder time playing than the first game. I did have the superior SNES version and spent dozens of hours figuring out Fatalities and learning the characters. It was darker and grittier than the first game, but at the same time had it’s own style that was seperate.
Earthworm Jim – 1994
Genesis – SNES – Sega CD – GameBoy – Game Gear – PC – GameBoy Advance
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: Sega CD
Earthworm Jim was probably one of my all time favorites as a kid. It was hilarious, my sister and I mocked the sound effects, but man was it so damn hard. I don’t think I ever got past the third level and I played this on various systems throughout the years. It’s art style and characters remain incredibly iconic.
Doom II – 1994
PC – Mac – GameBoy Advance – Xbox 360 – Switch – PlayStation 4 – Xbox One – Android – iOS
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: PC/Switch/PlayStation 4/Xbox One
I believe I played Doom II more than the first game, and like the first game, grew to appreciate it the most as an early adult. It’s still my favorite over the original and has insane levels, improved gameplay and visuals, and just clicks more with me.
The Lion King – 1994
Genesis – SNES – Game Gear – PC – GameBoy – Switch – PlayStation 4 – Xbox One
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: PC/Switch/PlayStation 4/Xbox One
Just like Aladdin, these two games were some of the hardest platformers at the time. I could never get past the second level, but I spent hours trying and hopefully one day will actually beat the game for good. It looks and sounds good and remains one of the best platformers on the system.
Sonic & Knuckles – 1994
Genesis – Wii – Xbox 360 – PC
Remastered: No | Best Played On: Wii/Xbox 360/PC
Sonic & Knuckles is a game I never knew was even out until I saw it at a local rental store. The cover caught my eye and it seemed more mature and mysterious. This is actually a lot of people’s favorite Sonic game and for good reason. The visuals are very different from other games in the series and Knuckles is a great character in the game. I want to spend more time in this game, but it’s the least ported of them all.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 – 1994
Genesis – PC – Wii – Xbox 360
Remastered: No | Best Played On: PC/Wii/Xbox 360
Sonic 3 was never really my favorite and I probably spent less time with this game than any other in the series. It was fun, and it was Sonic and I had to play it, but it felt like it was trying to be Sonic 2 way too hard and didn’t have its own feel or vibe.
Killer Instinct – 1995
SNES – GameBoy – Xbox One
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: Xbox One
The only real Mortal Kombat rip-off that took off and became successful. It had soul, character, and its own identity without being gory and bloody. It was a darker more mature fighting game and it worked so well. I spent hours on this game at friends’ houses and with a rental copy trying to practice and get the biggest combos. I remember Cinder being my favorite and most used character as a kid.
Earthbound – 1995
SNES – 3DS – Wii U – Wii
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: 3DS/Wii U/Wii
I spent more time on this game as a teenager and young adult and I love the charm and feeling of this game, but could never really finish it. It’s quite a long game and gets hard fairly early on, but one day I plan to pay the $800 for a physical copy and beat the game.
Chrono Trigger – 1995
SNES – PlayStation – DS – iOS – Android – PC
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: DS
Another game I didn’t discover until I was a teenager. Many people regard this game as Square’s best work even to this date and for good reason. The art style, storytelling, writing, and characters are unique and so memorable, but I just can’t bring myself to finish this or any other JRPG for that matter.
Mortal Kombat 3 – 1995
Genesis – SNES – PlayStation – GameBoy – PC – Sega Saturn
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: Saturn/PlayStation
This was one of the few games as a kid I got hyped about before release. I remember seeing ads in the store and on TV and hearing friends talk about it. The game was darker, grittier, and somewhat more frustrating than previous games. Combos were hard to pull off and it wasn’t as well received. I loved the new characters and had a blast with it, but I spent more time on Ultimate UMK3 to be honest.
Earthworm Jim II – 1995
Genesis – SNES – Saturn – PC – GameBoy Advance – Wii
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: Wii
I didn’t play this as much as the first, but had a blast nonetheless. The same whit, charm, and humor were present with new levels and things to do. One day I would love to finish this game completely.
Comix Zone – 1995
Genesis – PC – GameBoy Advance – Android – iOS – PlayStation 3 – Mac – Wii – Xbox 360
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: Wii/Xbox 360
Something I discovered more as a teenager and loved it. The game feels like you’re playing an actual comic with each panel looking like a panel from a comic and jumping pages is awesome. The game is incredibly hard, and I have never finished it, but the style and controls are just smooth and it’s one of the best Genesis games.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island – 1995
SNES – Switch
Remastered: No | Best Played On: Switch
My sister and I played this game to death and rented it numerous times. It was the first real Mario game I got into and couldn’t ever put it down. I don’t know if I’ve ever finished it, but I did try to 100% each level and couldn’t ever tear myself away from it. It was incredibly addicting and it’s what got me into Mario games.
Bust-a-Move – 1995
SNES – 3DO – Game Gear – PC
Remastered: No| Best Played On: SNES
This was a random game my parents picked up at a local game store and we had a blast. I did manage to finish all 100 levels and I spent dozens of hours perfecting my play and writing down pass codes. It was incredibly addictive and the level design was superb. It’s one of my favorite puzzle games to this day.
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 – 1996
Genesis – SNES – Sega Saturn – Xbox 360 – DS – PlayStation 3
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: DS/Xbox 360/PlayStation 3
This was a game that was hard to get a hold of, but I had a blast with it. I preferred this over MK3 thanks to the Aggressor meter and the new run button. The new characters and cheats were awesome and it just felt more refined over MK3.
Crash Bandicoot – 1996
PlayStation – PlayStation 4 – PC – Xbox One – Switch
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: Switch/PC/PlayStation 4/Xbox One
One of the first PS1 games I ever played along with MK3. I got this and MK3 for Xmas of ’97. It was a blast and I couldn’t stop trying to get 100% in each level. I didn’t play this as much as the second game, but I also remember it being very unforgiving.
Mortal Kombat Trilogy – 1996
PlayStation – PC – Nintendo 64 – Sega Saturn
Remastered: No| Best Played On: PlayStation
Score: 9.5/10
I probably spent more time with this game than any other 2D MK game. I had this on both N64 and PS1 and tried to perfect every move and character. It was lame that the bosses weren’t on the N64 version, but I still had a lot of fun. It was one of the few N64 games I actually owned.
Die Hard Trilogy – 1996
PlayStation – PC – Sega Saturn
Remastered: No | Best Played On: PlayStation
A random game that I picked up in the bargain bin in the early 2000’s and had a blast with Die Hard 2. The light gun game was so much fun yet so hard. I spent so many hours playing this, but not the other 2 games. I still have it to this day and highly recommend it to everyone.
Panzer Dragoon II Zwei – 1996
Sega Saturn
Remastered: No | Best Played On: N/A
Not something I played until I was an adult, but it’s a fantastic Saturn experience, and a must have for Saturn owners. It mostly defines the system and shows what it can do. I plan to finish it someday as it’s not too hard, but it looks amazing on the system regardless of age.
Turok: Dinosaur Hunter – 1997
Nintendo 64 – Switch – PC – Mac – Xbox One
Remastered: Yes| Best Played On: PC/Xbox One/Switch
This was one of the few N64 games I spent a lot of time in. My dad and I perfected every level, found every secret, and every weapon and enemy placement. It was one of the first FPS games I ever played and have very fond memories of.
Star Fox 64 – 1997
Nintendo 64 – 3DS – Wii
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: 3DS/Wii
I never owned this game, but I played it a lot at a neighbor’s house and later rented it. It was very difficult, but so addictive and fun and fast paced. I hadn’t played anything like it as I didn’t have a gaming PC, but it was just so much fun. Sadly, I never surpassed the third level.
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back – 1997
PlayStation – Switch – PC – Xbox One – PlayStation 4
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: PC/Xbox One/PlayStation 4/Switch
Crash 2 was the Bandicoot game I spent the most time in. It was better than the first with amazing level design and I loved the bonus stages, I never finished a single Crash game, but thanks to the remake I probably can now.
Quake II – 1997
PlayStation – PC – Nintendo 64 – Mac – Xbox 360
Remastered: Yes| Best Played On: PC
Sadly, I discovered this game on the N64 buy picking it up in a bargain bin. I didn’t care about multiplayer at the time and stuck with the campaign. It was a bridge into PC shooters for me and later I played this on PC and even PS1 where it is a much better experience.
Frogger – 1997
PlayStation – PC
Remastered: No| Best Played On: PlayStation
Frogger was a game my sister was obsessed with and I found fun but frustrating. One wrong move and you were dead. It had the arcade classic gameplay, but updated with 3D visuals and more levels. It’s worth a play if you want some fun arcade action, but just be warned of the insane difficulty.
Mortal Kombat 4 – 1997
PlayStation – PC – Nintendo 64 – GameBoy Color
Remastered: No | Best Played On: PlayStation/PC
Score: 9/10
I remember seeing this game at a Wal-Mart as a kid wrapped in its smooth plastic. I freaked out because I saw this game on arcade machines and didn’t know when it was going to release. Remember, I didn’t get a PC in the home or internet until the following year. I remember not liking the game as much as the older ones and felt the 3D perspective was confusing. MK’s first outting into 3D was a rough one.
Gran Turismo – 1997
PlayStation
Remastered: No | Best Played On: N/A
My dad actually got this game and I quickly fell in love with it. The tweaking of cars, the visuals, the tracks, it was all a wonderful dance. It’s weird for a 7 year old to get into a racing simulator but I was serious about this game. I nearly completed the game 100% before GT2 came out. It was one of the few PS1 games I spent dozens of hours in.
Disney’s Hercules – 1997
PlayStation – PC – GameBoy Color
Remastered: No| Best Played On: PlayStation
I vaguely remember this game as a kid, but played it more as a teen. It’s super colorful, feels like the movie, and plays really well. Disney made some solid games throughout the 90’s and this was one of their last greats.
Vandal Hearts – 1997
PlayStation – Sega Saturn
Remastered: No | Best Played On: PlayStation
I picked this up in a bargain bin at a local game store as a teen because I didn’t have the money for anything else. It was gory, and at the time, I really loved TBS games thanks to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. I actually remember the story being decent, but half-way through the game got brutally difficult.
Half-Life – 1998
PC – PlayStation 2 – Mac
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: PC
Score: 8.5/10
Surprisingly my first encounter with this game was on PS2 and I remember not getting the game at all. Everything being in real-time confused me and I quickly returned it. A few years later I played it again on PC and loved it. I prefer HL2 more, but HL1 holds a special place in my heart. I remember spending hours modding the game and even going over to relatives’ houses and seeing their modded version.
StarCraft – 1998
PC – Mac – Nintendo 64
Remastered: Yes| Best Played On: PC
StarCraft was a game I got into a few years after release as my first calling to RTS games was Age of Empires II. I beat the campaign and quickly forgot about it, but I remember enjoying the game and having it further confound my love for RTS games. I was the only kid in my whole school who actually liked RTS games so I literally kept these games to myself.
Grim Fandango – 1998
PC – Mac – Vita – PlayStation 4 – iOS – Android – Switch
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: PC/PlayStation 4/Switch
This was something I played in the early 2000’s and loved it. The writing, story, and characters were so much fun and it was so memorable. I was actually sad when the game ended. I plan to play the remaster, but it did suffer from typical adventure game tropes of its time.
Crash Bandicoot: Warped – 1998
PlayStation – PC – PlayStation 4 – Xbox One – Switch
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: PC/PlayStation 4/Xbox One/Switch
The last Crash game I ever played on console. I remember renting this game the year it came out and loving all the vehicle sections and how diverse the levels were, but it was very difficult. As an 8 year old I had a hard time completing levels and have actually played this less than the other two.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six – 1998
PlayStation – PC – Nintendo 64 – Dreamcast – GameBoy Color
Remastered: No| Best Played On: PC
The PlayStation version was my first experience with this game and it was really bad. Later I played this on PC as I found it in a bargain bin for $5 and while I didn’t quite understand the strategy part of the game I loved the slow pace of everything and taking my time to take out enemies. I’m not a huge R6 fan, as I have only played Vegas since this game, but it’s a classic for sure.
Spyro the Dragon – 1998
PlayStation – PC – PlayStation 4 – Xbox One – Switch
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: PC/PlayStation 4/Xbox One/Switch
Ah yes, the game that made me afraid of underwater 3D levels. I had to have my sister complete these sections, but overall this was a hit in our house. We rented this game multiple times and I even got 100% in the remaster almost by memory.
1080 Snowboarding – 1998
Nintendo 64 – Wii
Remastered: No | Best Played On: Wii
This was something I picked up a couple years after release in a bargain bin at Funcoland. I didn’t have a PS2 yet so this had to do before I could get my hands on Tony Hawk 3. It was a blast and I spent so many hours actually trying to do a 1080 and I can’t remember if I ever did.
Pokemon Stadium – 1998
Nintendo 64
Remastered: No| Best Played On: N/A
This was a massive hit in our house and in school. I rented this game multiple times and loved watching the battles. I grew up with Gens 1-3 during their craze and was wowed by these characters on screen. Of course it doesn’t hold up today, but it was a lot of fun for an 8 year old.
MediEvil – 1998
PlayStation – PlayStation 4
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: PlayStation 4
This game was really hard, and after playing the remake I can see why. The controls were clunky, but I loved the art style and horror theme and I remember the game being funny somehow. Regardless, it was a one time rental and I don’t think I ever got past the first level, but liked it nonetheless.
Final Fantasy VIII – 1999
PlayStation – PC – Switch – PlayStation 4 – Xbox One
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: PC/Switch/PlayStation 4/Xbox One
This was my first Final Fantasy game. I never really cared about JRPGs up until this point. I to this day have not been able to get past disc 2. It’s a tough game, but my sister had beaten it and I just remember being blown away by the graphics and experiencing a story rich adventure for the first time.
Unreal Tournament – 1999
PC – Mac – PlayStation 2 – Dreamcast
Remastered: No| Best Played On: PC
I honestly had a PC that couldn’t run this at all. I played it on lowest settings on 320×240 resolution window just to play this online with people. It was so much fun and I had a blast modding the game, but that tiny window will always be burned into my brain.
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings – 1999
PC – Mac
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: N/A
The game that got me into RTS game to begin with. My 7th grade history teacher in 2002 would give us extra credit for playing online with him. I, of course, pirated the game as my parents couldn’t afford to buy it. I played this game all throughout 7th grade and loved it so much. I don’t think I’ve spent more time in an RTS since.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater – 1999
PlayStation – Nintendo 64 – GameBoy Color – Dreamcast
Remastered: No | Best Played On: Dreamcast
This game was one of the biggest moments in my childhood. It made me go out and skateboard, it made me watch skateboarding videos and movies, it made me want to be a pro skater. Of course that never happened, but one can dream. This series was something I stayed on top of and played every single game in the series up to THUG2 and nearly mastered.
Silent Hill – 1999
PlayStation
Remastered: No| Best Played On: N/A
Funny story with this. I couldn’t remember the name of Syphon Filter and picked this game up on accident at a rental store. When we got to the scene of the skinless dogs in the alley with gurneys my sister and I screamed and turned the game off and my mom returned it. It will remain one of the scariest moments in gaming for me.
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis – 1999
PlayStation – PC – Dreamcast – PlayStation 4 – Xbox One – GameCube
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: PC/PlayStation 4/Xbox One
Score: 8/10
I actually played this game just recently, and sadly missed it when it was release. I had an N64 in ’99 and not a PS1 so I couldn’t even play it if I wanted. The game is great and one of my favorite RE games, but it’s still hard and confusing and the controls are awkward.
Syphon Filter – 1999
PlayStation
Remastered: No | Best Played On: N/A
Score: 9.5/10
This is literally the single game I played the most on PS1. My dad and I were obsessed with this game. We remember every enemy, item, and weapon placement. Every single level was memorized by heart, I even memorized all the dialogue and names of the characters. It’s a wonderful game and the quality was unheard of back then and holds up well to this day.
The Longest Journey – 1999
PC
Remastered: No| Best Played On: N/A
I played this years after release in 2005, but it was one of the first Steam games I ever bought. The game was fantastic and even my own mom liked it. I remember being sucked into the story, characters, and settings and playing through to the end in one sitting. Sadly, I don’t remember much of it, but I want to go back and play it again. It needs a remaster.
Medal of Honor – 1999
PlayStation
Remastered: No | Best Played On: N/A
I remember playing the demo of this game in a local game store. I rented the game and didn’t quite understand it. The fog of war really held the game back and belonged on PC where it could have been better. It’s still fun to go back and see where the series started.
Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage! – 1999
PlayStation – PlayStation 4 – Xbox One – PC – Switch
Remastered: Yes | Best Played On: PC/PlayStation 4/Xbox One/Switch
Spyro 2 is absolutely fantastic and when my sister and I saw this on the new arrivals shelf we snatched it up at our local rental store. We played through it multiple times, and while she was the one who remembered most of the game, I still had a blast.
Gran Turismo 2 – 1999
PlayStation
Remastered: No| Best Played On: N/A
I spent less time in this than GT1, but my dad loved it and we would spend evenings tweaking car settings and taking turns racing in the endurance events. It was a lot of fun, but remains one of the best racing games on PS1. It was seriously ahead of it’s time.
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